Table of Contents

This study is provided by ICPSR.
ICPSR provides leadership and training in data access, curation, and methods of analysis
for a diverse and expanding social science research community.

Consumer Expenditure Survey, 1960-1961 (ICPSR 9035)

Principal Investigator(s):United States Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Summary:

This data collection includes detailed information on the
purchasing habits of Americans in 1960-1961, with over 200 types of
expenditures coded. For the first time since 1941, the Consumer
Expenditure Survey sampled both urban, non-farm and rural, farm
households in an attempt to provide a complete picture of consumer
expenditures in the United States. Personal interviews were conducted
in 1960 and 1961 (and a small number in 1959) with 9,476 urban
families, 2,285 rural non-farm families, and 1,967 rural farm
families, for a total of 1... (more info)

This data collection includes detailed information on the
purchasing habits of Americans in 1960-1961, with over 200 types of
expenditures coded. For the first time since 1941, the Consumer
Expenditure Survey sampled both urban, non-farm and rural, farm
households in an attempt to provide a complete picture of consumer
expenditures in the United States. Personal interviews were conducted
in 1960 and 1961 (and a small number in 1959) with 9,476 urban
families, 2,285 rural non-farm families, and 1,967 rural farm
families, for a total of 13,728 consumer units interviewed. A complete
account of family income and outlays was compiled for a calendar year,
as well as household characteristics. The expenditures covered by the
survey were those which respondents could recall fairly accurately for
three months or longer. In general, these expenditures included
relatively large purchases, such as those for property, automobiles,
and major appliances, or expenditures that occurred on a fairly
regular basis, such as rent, utilities, or insurance premiums.
Expenditures incurred while on trips were also covered by the
survey. Information to determine net changes in the family's assets
and liabilities during the year was also gathered. The estimated value
of goods and services received, as gifts or otherwise, without direct
expenditures by the family, was requested also. In addition, farm
families provided farm receipts, disbursements, changes in farm
assets, and value of home-produced food. To supplement the annual
data, non-farm families who prepared meals at home provided a detailed
seven-day record, during the week prior to the interview, of
expenditures for food and related items purchased frequently (e.g.,
tobacco, personal care, and household supplies). For selected items of
clothing, house furnishings, and food, the record of expenditures was
supplemented by information on quantities purchased and prices paid.
Characteristics of the housing occupied by homeowners and renters and
an inventory of the major items of house furnishing they owned also
were recorded. Demographic information includes sex, age, years of
school completed, occupation, race, and marital status of each family
member.

(1) ICPSR obtained the 1960-1961 Consumer Expenditure
Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in two files, one
containing the urban families and a second file containing the rural
families interviewed. The data records in each of the files were
recorded in zoned-decimal format, with two records of 911 columns each
per case. ICPSR processing consisted of transforming the data from
zoned-decimal to character mode, altering the file from two records of
911 columns per case to a single record of 1748 characters per case
(deleting blank and duplicate fields in the process), and combining
the urban and rural interview records into a single file. (2) The
codebook is provided by ICPSR as a Portable Document Format (PDF)
file. The PDF file format was developed by Adobe Systems Incorporated
and can be accessed using PDF reader software, such as the Adobe
Acrobat Reader. Information on how to obtain a copy of the Acrobat
Reader is provided on the ICPSR Web site.